Method of applying wire clamps to hoses



Feb. 3, 1959 1-. H. ABBIATI ,73

METHOD OF APPLYING WIRE CLAMPS TO HOSES Filed Nov. 4. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 9 INVENTOR THEODORE H.ABBIATI.

ATTORNEY Feb. '3, 1959 T. H/ABBIATI v METHOD'OF APPLYING WIRE CLAMPS T0 HosEs 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 Filed Nov. 4. 1954 INVENTOR THEODORE H. ABBIATI ATTORNEY United grates Patent Y pen METHOD OF APPLYHNG WIRE CLAMPS T0 HOSES,

Theodore H. Ahhiati, Denver, *Colo, assignor to Screw Machine Products Co., Denver, Colo.

- Application November 4, 1954, Serial No. 466,883

Claims. ('Cl. 81-93) The present invention relates to the art of wire clamps for. hose and tools for applying the same. This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior application Serial No. 179,305, filed August 14, 1950 now abandoned, and has particular reference to a tool for applying wire clamps in which the wire is wound in more than one complete turn around the hose in a form generally similar to the clamp disclosed in U. S. Patents 1,897,319 of February 14, 1933, to G. L. McKee and 1,982,630 of December 4, 1934, to J. A. Bent. y

it has long been customary in the art to employ wire clamps comprising axially spaced coils of one or more complete turns joined by a bight portion and having two free ends in substantially parallel relation. In applying such clamps over an assembled hose and coupling inserted axially through the coils the usual practice has been to anchor the bight at its middle on an abutment provided on a suitable tool and then to operate the tool to grasp and pull the Wire ends in a direction such that the assembly is pulled laterally and the loops of the coils are tightened by constriction on the hose, after which the ends of the wire are cut and bent over the anchored bight to interlock therewith.

In such procedure it has not been possible to obtain an even tension in the coils around the periphery of the hose because of the friction or snubbing action of the wire surrounding the hose. In consequence, the final tension in the constricted loops is not equalized and maximum efiiciency and quality are not obtained in the finished job.

Bent, in his Patent 1,982,630 above noted, realized the importance of achieving equalized tension in the clamp coils, and solved the problem of obtaining such tension by manually rolling the hose back and forth between intervals of loop tightening, thus equalizing the tension by rotating the hose. Of course, under such conditions each successive rolling after each increment of tightening becomes increasingly diificult and is slow and tiresome to an operator, particularly on continuous factory as sembly of clamps made from heavy gauge Wire.

The present invention provides, as a primary object, a means and a method for equalizing the tension in coils constricted on and around cylindrical Work by rotation of the work through force mechanically applied by the coils in constricting.

More particularly, an object of the invention is to provide a method and a means for mechanically and automatically equalizing the tension in the coils of an applied wire hose clamp through rotation of the hose by force applied by the friction of the coils against the periphery of the hose as the clamp is tightened thereon.

Another object is to provide a tool for applying wire clamps to hose in a manner to produce automatically a uniform tension throughout the wire without the labor of manually rolling hose.

A further object is to provide a self-contained method of accurately measuring and severing the constricted wire clamp, with its partially formed locking books, from its wire end portions so that the wire still remaining attached to the clamp will automatically be the exact length to equally and correctly form the complete locking hooks and proportional in length to the different diameters of Wire used in the various sizes of clamps.

Still another object is to provide a hose clamp of Wire coils spaced axially in alignment and joined by an elongated bight tangent to the coils, and having spaced end portions also tangent to the coils and extending through the bight in a common plane perpendicular to the bight.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of the tool to which this invention relates;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation, partly in section, of the tool with hose and coupling engaged in the clamp and constriction of the clamp coils begun;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating an intermediate stage of the clamp tightening operation;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the final constriction stage of the clamp just prior to partial formation of the locking hooks;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 illustrating the step of partial hook formation;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the wire clamp;

Figure 7 is a sectional view through a hose and coupling assembly with the clamp applied; and

Figure 8 is an elevation taken from the right of Figure 7.

In the specific embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, the tool comprises an elongated base 9 substantially T-shaped in cross section and provided with a depending post 10 arranged to seat in a vise or in the socket 11 of a conventional bench adaptor 12 by which the tool may be secured to a bench or other fixed support 13. The post is anchored in the adaptor socket by suitable retaining means 14 and is designed to function as a hand grip for the tool when it is used under conditions requiring portability. One end of the base has a lateral extension 15 providing a bearing for an end portion of a rotatable screw threaded shaft 16 that has at its other end a thrust bearing in a second and larger base extension 17 at the other end of the base. The extension 17 is greater in width, depth and height than the bearing extension 15 and has a planar outer face portion 18 which occupies a vertical plane when the tool is mounted in the bench adaptor 11. This face portion 18 constitutes a fixed abutment at the clamp holding end of the tool.

Intermediate the two base extensions the shaft 16 mounts a travelling nut member 19 guided on and by the flat head flange of the base and constituting a clamp block for the ends of the wire hose clamp. Thisblock 19 is of conventional design, mounting an eccentric clamp 20 fixed on a pin 21 journalled between a pair of upstanding ears and having a handle 22 for manual operation thereof. A ratchet handle 23 of known construction, which is operable in opposite directions, is mounted on the outer end of the shaft 16 to effect rotation thereof.

Wire end severing means is disposed in a slot pro vided therefor in the top portion of the abutment extension 17. Such means may take any desired form provided it fulfills the following essential requirements: it must out both wires 29 on a line of severance that is parallel to the planar face 18 of the abutment and which is located inwardly therefrom a distance such that when the wires are cut the ends will be the precise length required for bending down Without further trim:

the abutment 17. This applies a pulling ming to form the complete locking hooks. As here shown, one such means comprises two blades 24 and 25 one of which is fixed in the abutment by any suitable means, not shown, and the other of which is movable. The distance from the line of severance between the blades to the planar face 18 of the abutment determines the length of wire remaining in the completed and locked hook between the point on the underlying periphery of the bight which is of greatest radial distance from the axis of the hose to which the clamp is applied and the extreme tip of the wire end, regardless of the diameter of the wire used in the clamp. vThe diameter is variable. The body of the abutment at both sides of the cutter blade slot and also the cutter blades themselves are provided with registering guide openings extending therethrough to receive the ends of the wire clamp so that they may pass beneath the holding clamp 20. The movable cutter blade, which is in face contact with the fixed blade, is operative by any suitable means, not shown, to shear the engaged wires when actuated.

The configuration of the wire clamp preferably employed is well shown in Fig. 6 and consists of a single length of appropriate gauge wire formed as a pair of axially aligned coils 26 of more than one turn each, with the coils spaced axially in parallel relation and joined by a bight 2'7 connecting straight portions 23 which extend tangentially from the outer turns of the coils and occupy with the portion 27 a common plane. It is a feature of this invention that the bight, which in its entirety includes the portion 27 and both portions 28, is elongated relative to the coils so that the portion 27 is spaced well above the free ends 29 which extend tangentially from the inner turns of the coils and pass through the bight in a common plane perpendicular to the plane of the portions 28. This elongated bight is designed to provide excess material, which as the clamp becomes constricted by the wide sliding around the hose, will be forcefully pulled down between the hose and whole assembly to roll completely over under increasing tension and be pulled into final constriction from the opposite side thus mechanically equalizing the tension in the turns of the coils.

It is within the purview of this invention, and intended, that clamps may be used in which the coils 26 are comprised of only one turn or more than two turns, and in which the bight portion 27 may contact the portions 29 or be spaced only slightly therefrom.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the clamp coils are constricted on and around a cylindrical work here shown as a flexible hose 30 of rubber or similar material engaged over a coupling or other fitting 31 to which it is to be sealed. For best results, the clamp coils should be at least /8" to A larger in diameter than the outside diameter of the assembled hose and fitting.

When a clamp is to be applied, the assembly of hose and fittings is inserted axially in the coils 26 and the end portions 29 are passed through the guide holes and the cutting means in the abutment 1'7 and fastened in the clamp block 19 which then is adjacent the abutment as shown in Fig. 1. This disposes the bight in parallel relation to the outer flat face portion 18 of the abutment. With the assembly held against the abutment, the handle 23 is manipulated to rotate the shaft 16 in a direction to move the block 19 inwardly away from force to the end portions 29 and draws the assembly laterally against the abutment, jamming the portions 28 of the bight tightly between the hose and the abutment with a force which restrains the bight fromdownward movement. As the pull on the wire ends 29 continues the loops comprising'the inner turn in each coil drawn in, seizing the hose and forcing it thereafter to move with the the abutment and permit the 1 3 ing loops start to rotate .ing the loops, pinched in constriction of the inner loops as shown in Fig. 2. Increased pull on the wire ends 29 causes the wire to slide circumferentially around the periphery of the hose and, as the bight is restrained against movement, the loops comprising the outer turn in each coil begin to constrict circumferentially around the hose.

As the clamp block 19 moves farther along the shaft 16 and increases the pull on the ends 29 the constrictbodily together withthe hose assenz'ly in a clockwise direction to relieve themselves of the stress and strains set up. This rotation pulls the bight down and rolls its portions 28 under tension into the loops. The lower portion of the bight adjoinbetween the hose and the abutment, resists bending and being drawn down, thus keeping the tension constantly increasing. Surplus wire is unwound from the loops meanwhile and pulled through the abutment. Rotation of the loops continues; a stage of which is shown in Fig. 3, with the assembly rolling on the abutment. After the descending bight portion 27 tightly impinges on the wires passing through the bight, final constriction takes place in the stage indicated in Fig. 4. The wire slides around the periphery of the hose as the coils are constricted way down into the rubber as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 7, the arrested bight holding one end and the surplus material being pulled out the other end. The assembly is then locked by lifting it up and somewhat back over the top of the abutment as shown in Pig. 5, partially forming the locking hooks 32.

The severing means is then operated to cut the wires in terminal portions which, because of the location of the cutter blades, the ends are just the right length without trimming for striking down over the bight portion 27 into the surface of the hose to complete the hooks 32 as shown in Fig. 8. This automatic gauging of the correct length at which to sever the wire ends is accomplished when the constricted clamp assembly is raised up and back over the top of the abutment to form the partial-locking hooks. It is evident that the larger the diameter of wire used in the clamp the longer the locking hooks need to be to go around it and have their ends imbed into the hose where they cannot be snagged and be bent open again. This length is automatically adjusted by interposing the diameter of the wire in the bight between the abutment and the wire ends while forming the partial locking hooks. The larger the wire in the bight, the longer the hooks are cut, because the center of curvature around which the hooks are bent is then further from the point of severance than with a smaller diameter wire.

Rotation of the hose assembly by and during constriction of the clamp coils to effect and maintain uniform tension in the coils is substantial; that is, in the order of an arc of at least one hundred and eighty degrees. It is a function of the number of complete turns or loops in a coil, the difference between the initial and constricted diameters of the coil and the length of wire from the tip of the bight to its point of tangency. The greater the elongation of the bight, the greater will be the extent of rotation. The following equation expresses the relationship:

where T is the number of complete turns in a coil, D is the original diameter of the clamp coil, D is the final constricted diameter of the coil, L is the length of bight from point of tangency and S is the surplus wire.

It will be apparent from the above description that the rotation of the hose assembly necessary to effect a uniform tension throughout the coils of the clamp is accomplished mechanically by the tool and applied through means self-contained in the clamp, not through the agency of external means, and that the coils in constricting automatically adjust themselves to relieve the stress and strains loops, with some set up in the tightening operation by slipping around or by rolling as required.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A method of applying to a hose and inserted fitting a wire clamp having a coil initially larger in diameter than the overall diameter of the hose and having tangential terminal portions one of which is an elongated bight and which extend beyond each other in planes substantially relatively perpendicular, which comprises, moving the assembled clamp and hose forcibly against an abutment to jam the bight terminal portion between the hose and the abutment and thus hold it against rotation and perpendicular to the other terminal portion While at the same time imparting substantial resistance to longitudinal sliding movement of the bight, exerting a pull on the free terminal portion in its tangential plane to immediately constrict the inner turns of the clamp coils onto the hose seizing it firmly and thereafter mechanically forcing the assembly to rotate with the clamp, increasing the pull to consecutively constrict both turns into the hose meanwhile transmitting through spiral spring tension a force which tends to pull the jammed portion of the elongated bight longitudinally between the hose and the abutment, continuing the pull with increasing tension to further mechanically rotate the assembly on the axis of the coils and pull the jammed portion from between the hose and the abutment and wind it into the coils of the clamp While as each increment of the jammed bight is released an adjustment is made in the spiral spring tension throughout the coils allowing the wire of the clamp to slip, slide, bend and roll around the rotating assembly to equalize the stresses and strains set up in turns of the coils until the bight portion impinges upon the wire ends passing through it and is arrested thereby, continuing the pull against the additional resistance imparted by arrest of the jammed bight portion to constrict the coils further into the surface of the hose, stopping the pull, and bending the assembly of hose and clamp back over and upon the arrested portion to provide a locking hook.

2. Method of creating equal tension uniformly throughout a wire coil hose clamp during its constriction on a hose, which comprises, applying axially over a hose a single length Wire clamp preformed as a plurality of complete coils having free ends and joined by a U-shaped bight portion of wire through which and spaced therefrom the free ends of the wire pass at a tangent from the coils, exerting a longitudinal pull on the free ends and thereby moving the coils and hose in translation against a fixed abutment to constrain the bight portion tightly between the hose and the abutment and create tension on the wire, continuing the pull on the wire ends and thereby causing the coils to constrict upon and simultaneously rotate the hose and thus wind the Wire of the bight into and through the coils under the tension established by constraint of the bight, and continuing the pull on the wire ends until the bight engages the underlying wire ends and jams them tightly against the hose.

3. A method of applying to a hose and inserted fitting a wire clamp in the form of a coil comprising at least one full turn initially larger in diameter than the diameter of the hose and having a pulling end and a trailing end both extended from the coil, which comprises; placing the clamp axially over' and upon a hose and fitting, moving the assembly of clamp, hose, and fitting bodily in translation forcibly against an abutment with the trailing pull to an extent such that end of the coil interposed between the assembly and the abutment and gripped therebetween, constricting the coil around the hose and simultaneously rotating the assembly by pulling the trailing end of the coil between the assembly and the abutmentin frictional contact therewith and into the coil by continuing pull on the pulling end of the coil until a predetermined length of the trailing end has been pulled into the coil, and thereafter effecting an in terlocking connection between the pulling and trailing ends of the coil in radial pressure contact against the surface of the hose.

4. A method of applying to a hose and inserted fitting a wire clamp in the form of a coil comprising a loop of at least one full turn initially larger in diameter than the diameter of the hose and with free straight ends each occupying a plane vergent to the plane of the other end in substantially perpendicular relationship at their point of intersection, one end constituting a pulling end and the other a loose trailing end and both ends extending beyond their point of intersection; which method comprises; placing the clamp axially over and upon a hose and fitting, forcing the assembly of clamp, hose, and fitting bodily in translation tightly against a fixed abutment with the trailing end of the coil interposed and gripped between the assembly and the abutment, constricting the loop of the coil about the hose and simultaneously rotating the assembly by drawing the trailing end of the coil in between the assembly and the abutment into the loop of the coil by con taining longitudinal pull upon the pulling end of the coil until substantially all the length of the trailing end beyond its point of intersection with the pulling end has been drawn into the loop of the coil, moving the assembly bodily in a manner to carry the pulling end over the trailing end in radial pressure contact against the surface of the hose, and thereafter effecting interlocking hook engagement between the ends of the coil at their point of intersection.

5. A method of binding together in tightly sealed relation an assembly of concentric telescoped members the outer of which is compressible, comprising the following steps; encircling the outer member with a coil of Wire having two loose end portions extended in different di rections with one end portion extending beyond and crossing the other end portion, exerting on one end portion a pull sliding the Wire of the coil circumferentially around the compressible member while drawing wire from the other end portion progressively into the coil, mechanically imposing on said other end portion of the wire a restraint that is a function of the applied pulling force and which yieldably and progressively resists the the sliding coil progressively constricts upon the compressible member in frictional engagement and thereby causes the assembly to rotate on its axis which the coil is constricting, and continuing the mechanical restraint until a predetermined length of wire has been drawn into and through the coil.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,356,126 Claire Oct. 19, 1920 1,369,755 Rutledge Feb. 22, 1921 1,435,071 Kerben Nov. 7, 1922 1,442,402 Gunn Jan. 16, 1923 1,507,170 Gunn Sept. 2, 1924 1,990,820 Flader Feb. 12, 1935 2,175,478 McKee Oct. 10, 1939 2,362,112 Capra Nov. 7, 1944 2,600,394 Conklin June 17, 1952 2,622,460 Keeble Dec. 23, 1952 that is tangent to the loop and con- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION e-r 'v. .1 m 13 Patent No 2 e- "ya: Fwrhmy 1959 Abbie-bi It is hereby certified th of the above numbered patent requlrlng correction and that the said Letters atent should read as corrected below.

c lrm :1 6, line 56, "which" While Signed and 31st day of 1960a (SEMI) Attest:

1-:0 ma ma ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Ofiicer Qommissioner of Patents 

